Bowling alley surfacing machine



C. E- GOFF BOWLING ALLEY SURFACING MACHINE 3 Sheets-s l JNVENTOR. r/es E, Goff BY %n glua. 40M

HTTORNEKS Sept. 10, 1963 Filed May 31. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. Char/95 6. 60/2 QTTORNEYS Sept. 10, 1963 c. E. GOFF BOWLING ALLEY SURFACING MACHINE s sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 31, 1960 l/ll IN VEN TOR. .s E. 60/ 1 HTTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,103,987. Patented Sept. 10, 1963 3,193,687 BUWIJING ALLEY SURFACING MACHINE (Iharles E. Golf, Miami, Fla, assignor to American Machine and Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed May 31, 196i), Ser. No. 32,852 8 Claims. (Cl. 51-174) This invention relates to a machine for use in surfacing or finishing bowling alleys and more particularly to a mobile machine which is capable of spanning the entire width of a bowling alley and conditioning the surface of the latter uniformly from end to end.

Bowling alleys are constructed of a plurality of strips of wood arranged longitudinally of the alley and in such manner that the grain of each strip also extends longitudinally of the alley. In finishing the surface of the alley, it is important that the surface be made to conform to American Bowling Congress requirements, and applicant has found that alley surfaces sanded with the grain of the :wood, rather than across the grain, can be finished smoother and truer and without as much risk of damaging the alley surface during either rough or finish sanding operations.

Finishing or sanding machines for bowling alleys have been proposed heretofore, but so far as is known, two or more machines are required to sand the surface of a bowling alley or, alternatively, one machine must make several passes. In either event, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the entire width and length of a bowling alloy to be finished uniformly from side to side and end to end. Thus, the surfaces of alloys finished by means of known devices are subject to rapid deterioration and may be rendered non-horizontal.

Many of the difficulties attendant the finishing of bowling alleys by known devices stem from improper distribution or concentration of weight of the finishing machinery on the alley surface. The problem of even weight distribution is magnified in the case of a sanding machine incapable of spanning the width of an alley and with such machines the surfacing of the alley is largely a matter of skill on the part of the machine operator.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved bowling alley surfacing machine having the weight or force of the sanding apparatus distributed over a relatively large area of the alley surface so as to avoid concentrations of weight or force in small areas such as to cause deflections in an alley surface.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bowling alley surfacing machine in which the surfacing means is supported above the surface of the alley by means which are adjustable so as to assure trueness of the alley and thereby conform to all requirements of the American Bowling Congress as to construction and maintenance.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the kind described equipped with apparatus for minimizing the escape of dust during surfacing operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an alley finishing machine which is automatically adjustable to truly horizontal position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bowling alley surfacing machine having means for positively guiding it along the alley in such manner as to assure surfacing the entire width thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a surfacing machine of the character described wherein the force with which the surfacing material engages the alley surface may be controlled easily and reliably.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out specifically or will become apparent from the following description when it is considered in conjunction with the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, crosssectional view through a typical bowling alley showing a portion of the machine thereon;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, side elevation similar to FIGURE 1, but showing the apparatus modified for a different kind of use;

FIGURE 4a is a fragmentary perspective of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view of a modified form of the apparatus; and

FIGURE'6 is a schematic electrical wiring diagram.

Apparatus constructed in accordance with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES l-4 comprises a frame 2 having parallel side members 4 and 5 interconnected at corresponding ends by cross members 6.

Adjacent to the rear end of the frame is a pair of rocker arms 14, each of which is pivoted as at 15 to the adjacent frame member 4 or '5. Spanning the rocker arms 14- is an axle 16 to which is keyed one or more supporting wheels 17. The rocker arms 14 are adjustable about their pivots 15 so as to vary the height the rear end of the frame 2 is supported above the surface 16 of the bowling alley A.

Means is provided for adjusting the rocker arms 14 and, according to the embodiment disclosed in FIGURES 1-4, comprises a screw 18 threadedly mounted in an opening adjacent to each rear corner of the frame 2 so that its lower end bears against the rear end of the associated rocker arm 14, the arrangement being such that rotation of the screws 18 will cause them to move towards or away from the associated arms 14. At the upper end of each screw 18 is mounted one part of a universal coupling :19, the other part of the coupling being mounted on a rotatable adjusting rod 20 having a handle 21 which may be manipulated by the operator I of the machine to effect rocking of the levers 14 clockwise or counterclockwise and, accordingly, adjust the position of the frame relatively to the alley surface 10.

Welded or otherwise suitably fixed to the rear end of the frame 2 and extending upwardly and rearwardly therefrom is a stabilizing means in the form of a pair of tubular members 22 pivotally connected at their upper ends to a cross member 23 which serves as a handle bar adapted to be grasped by the machine operator. A post 24 depends vertically from the handle bar 23 and provides means for mounting a wheel 25 adapted to roll upon the bowling alley A.

The post 24 is adjustable in length and comprises an upper rod section 26 rigid on the handle 23, the lower end being threaded as at 27 and in threaded engagement with an internally threaded sleeve 28. A nut 29 is threaded on the rod and bears on the sleeve and the lower end of the sleeve is supported on a plate 30 or the like on which the wheel 25 is mounted, the arrangement being such that the wheel may roll on the surface of the alley as the machine is driven. Suitable brace members 31 are connected to the main frame and serve to reinforce the post for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

The construction and arrangement of the parts thus far described are such that the frame 2 is fulcrumed for rocking movement at a zone of balance, which is at the location of wheels 17, and may be supported by the wheels 17 and 25 at varying distances above the face 10 of the bowling alley A. Since each of the wheels 17 is individually adjustable, the frame easily may be adjusted to a position in which it is truly horizontal.

To assist the operator in determining when the frame is truly horizontal, a spirit level 32 (see FIG. 2) may be mounted at any convenient part of the frame. To facilitate adjustment of the wheels 17', the nods 20 preferably are notatably supported in brackets 34 secured to the members 22 so as to locate the handles 21 in a position which conveniently may be reached by the operator without requiring him to move from behind the handle bar 23.

As is best shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, a plate 35 formed of metal or other suitable material spans the side frames 4 and 5 at the rear end of the frame. Forwardly of the plate 35 is a cylindrical drum 36 having a shaft 37 that is mounted in bearing blocks 38 which are secured by bolts 39 or the like to the frame members 4 and 5. The drum 36 preferably extends slightly below the level of the frame members 4, as is best shown in FIG- URE 1.

A similar drum 40 is mounted in the frame forwardly of the drum 36 and adjacent the fnont end of the frame and has a shaft 41 which is received at its opposite ends in shiftable bearing blocks 42. Each bearing block 42 is horizontally reciprocable in a slot 43 formed in a supporting bracket 44 which is secured by means of bolts 44a or the like to the respective frame members 4 and 5. Means for adjusting each block 42 and, consequently, the drum 40, comprises a screw 45 having a freely rotatable connection to the associated block 42 and extending through a fixed nut element 46 mounted on the support 44. The rear end of each screw is fitted with one part of a universal coupling '48 and the other part of the coupling is secured to one end of a rotatable adjusting rod 49 supported by a bracket 50 which is fastened to the handle bar 23. The other end of each rod 49 terminates in a handle 52 which is readily accessible to the machine operator. The arrangement of the parts described is such that the rods 49 may be rotated in either of two directions so as to cause fore and aft adjustment of the blocks 42 and, consequently, fore and aft adjustment of the drum 40 relatively to the frame 2.

Mounted in the frame 2 between the drums 36 and 40 is an intermediate pressure drum 54 having a shaft 55 journaled in bearing blocks 58 which are mounted on the respective frame members 4 and 5 by means of nut and bolt assemblies 57. The mounting of the drum 54 is such that it is at a somewhat lower level than the drums 36 and 40 for a purpose which presently will be explained.

The drums 35 and 4th constitute means for mounting surfacing means B which comprises an endless belt of abrasive material such as sandpaper or emery cloth or the like. The arrangement of the belt B on its supporting drums 36 and 40 is such that driving of the drums causes the belt to move in an orbital path longitudinally of the frame 2. As is best shown in FIGURE 1, the lower mounting of the drum 54 causes the periphery of the latter to bear against the lower run of the belt B and press it against the surface 10 of the bowling alley A.

To permit installation and removal of the belt B, the frame 2 is hinged in four places by means of two hinges 59 at each side :of the frame. Each hinge includes a removable pin 60 so that upon removal of the pins 66 at one side of the frame the latter can be swung open to permit replacement of the belt B by another belt. The belts used with the machine can be alternately rough and finish sanding belts, thereby permitting the machine tobe used both for rough and finish sanding operations. In changing belts, it will be necessary to adjust the drum 40 rearwardly to loosen the belt B, and the drum subsequently again may be adjusted forwardly to apply the necessary tension to the replacement belt. When the belt B is thus mounted, driving of either of the drums 40 or 36 will cause driving of the belt B and the other drums.

Means is provided for driving the drums and preferably comprises a pair of electric motors 61 mounted on suitable supports 62 fixed to thecover plate 35. Although two motors are preferred, it would be possible to use only one. Each motor includes a drive shaft 63 on which is mounted a pulley 64 which is drivingly connected by a drive belt 66 to a pulley mounted at each end of the drum shaft 37.

As is best shown in FIGURES l and 2, the motors 61 are so mounted on the frame 2 that their centers of gravity are located reanwardly of the axis of the wheels '17. This arrangement, coupled with the disclosed arrangement of the other apparatus supported on the frame distributes the weight of such apparatus on opposite sides of the fulcrum axis 16 to locate the latter at substantially the zone of balance of the frame so as to facilitate rocking of the frame relatively to the wheels 17.

The apparatus is capable of being pushed manually along the length of a bowling alley, but it is preferred to provide power means for driving the machine so as to relieve the operator of the burden of having to push it. Another advantage of driving the machine by power is that the speed of the machine over the alley will be uniform. Means for driving the machine comprises an electric motor 67 suitably mounted on the cover plate 35 and having its drive shaft connected to a speed reduction unit 68 of conventional construction. The speed reduction unit includes a driven shaft 69 on which is mounted a pulley 70 and around which is trained a drive belt 71 that passes through an opening in the cover plate 35 and is trained around a pulley '72 keyed to the shaft 16. The arrangement is such that operation of the motor 67 will cause the pulleys 7i and 72 to turn slowly so asto drive the machine. Preferably, the motor 67 is reversible so as to enable the machine to be driven either forwardly or rearwardly, especially in the case of the latter, because of the difliculty which would be experienced in pulling the machine rearwardly against the force of forward movement of the belt.

The width of the drums 36, '46 and 54, and the width of the belt B are at least as wide as the width of the bowling alley A. Thus, the machine is capable of surfacing the entire width of the alley as it travels along the latter.

In the operation of the apparatus thus far described and when resurfacing rather rough alleys, a belt B of coarse abrasive may be used and mounted as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The belt will be in engagement with the alley surface along the line of tangency of the alley to the drum '54. Stated differently, the belt makes essentially line contact with the alley surface. When fine finishing of the alley is desired, the coarse belt may be removed by opening the hinged frame as previously described, and replaced with a less coarse belt. In many instances line contact is less preferable than surface contact and in such instances a rockable platen or presser member P (see FIGURE 4) of substantial width may be mounted to span the width of the frame beneath the drum 54, the member P being secured to a rod R having its ends removably received in openings 73 formed in the side members 4 and 5. The belt may be arranged to pass between the member P and the alley surface, the drum 40 being adjustable to maintain the belt taut, as before. The ability of the member P to rock relatively to the frame and the sanding belt enables the belt to be accommodated to the alley surface to effect a relatively larger cutting pressure area of between the belt and the surface of the alley. The body P of the member may be formed of aluminum, if desired, but it is preferable to provide a lower, thin sheet of polished steel S on the member to prevent undue wear of the latter and to promote free travel of the belt across the presser member. An enlarged end view of the member P is shown in FIGURE 4a.

in practice and when rough finishing conventional bowling alleys, the roller 54 should exert a force of about one hundred pounds on the alley, and when the plate P is used the force exerted should be on the order of about forty pounds. The changes in partial machine weight transmitted to the belt B may be effected readily by adjustment or manipulation of the sleeve 28 forming part of the adjustable post 24. Extension of the post 24 lowers the drum 54 by rocking the frame about the wheels 17, and retraction of the post raises the drum 54 by rocking the frame in the reverse direction.

The machine includes guide means for maintaining the machine in such position on the alley as to assure finishing the surface of the latter across its entire width as the machine travels along the alley. The guide means comprises a number of laterally projecting arms 74 rigidly connected at one end to the frame 2 by means of bolts 75 or the like and supporting at their other ends vertically extending shafts 76 at the lower end of each of which is mounted a wheel 77. The upper end of each shaft 76 is threaded for reception of adjusting nuts 78 whereby the height of the wheels 77 may be adjusted.

Bowling alleys conventionally have gutters adjacent to each side of the alley bed, and adjacent alleys are separated by division strips D. In FIGURE 3 the gutters are designated at G and the division strips at D. Each gutter is defined by a wall 79 which merges smoothly with the lateral edges of the alley bed and the adjacent division strip. When adjusting the guide wheels 77, they should be located at a level slightly higher than the surface 10 of the alley so as to bear against the wall 79 either at the bed side of the alley or at the division strip and thereby prevent movement of the machine laterally of the alley. With the wheels 77 at a level above the alley surface, the machine can be moved from one alley to another without readjustment of the wheels.

During the driving of the machine over the surface of a bowling alley to finish the latter, considerable dust will be raised. To control the dust the rear frame member :6 of the frame 2 is provided with a number of openings to accommodate a corresponding number of hollow suction tubes 80, each of which is connected to a suction motor 8 1 which may be mounted on a cross bar 82 secured between the upright posts '22. The discharge side of the motors is connected to a removable dust bag D in which the dust may be collected.

In FIGURE is illustrated a modified form of leveling mechanism which may take the place of the parts 18, 19 and 20 previously described. In the modified embodiment, similarly threaded adjusting screws 85 and 86 are threaded in correspondingly threaded blocks 87 and 88, respectively, which are fixed on the adjacent frame members 4 and 5. The lower ends of the screws bear against the levers 14 and the upper ends of the screws are provided with bevel gears 89 and 90. Each gear has a collar 91, 92 which is splined on the associated screw and bears against the adjacent block. In mesh with the gear 8 9 is a gear 93 and a similar gear94 meshes with the gear 90. The gears 93 and 94 are fixed at opposite ends of a shaft 95 which is journaled in bearings 96 secured to the cover plate 35. The shaft 95 is driven by a belt 97 trained around a pulley 98 on the shaft 95 and around a pulley 99 fixed at the end of the armature shaft of a motor 100 that is mounted on the cover plate 35. The arrangement is such that rotation of the shaft 95 in one direction will cause simultaneous rotation of the screws 85 and 86 in opposite directions so that one wheel 17 will be lowered while the other is raised, thereby adjusting the frame 2 in a horizontal plane. The motor 100 should 'be reversible so as to permit the shaft 95 to be driven in opposite directions. The means for effecting operation of the motor will be described hereafter.

An illustrative, simplified wiring arrangement is disclosed in FIGURE 6 and comprises a pair of power lines L-l and L-Z adapted to be connected to a power source such as 220 volt electric current. A main switch 101 may be located in both of the power lines. The motors 61 preferably are connected in parallel and may be controlled by a switch I102, and all of the motors 81 preferably are connected in parallel and may be controlled by a switch 103'. The reversible driving motor 67 may be controlled by two pairs of ganged switches 104 and 105.

Means for operating the adjusting motor comprises a pair of mercury switches 106 and 107, the switch 106 being connected to a relay 108 and the switch 107 being connected to a similar relay 109. The relay 108 includes two normally open contacts G1 and C2 which are adapted to be closed upon energization of the relay 103 so as to supply energy to the motor 100 for driving it in one direction. The relay 109 also includes two normally open contacts C3 and C4 adapted to be closed upon energization of the relay 109' for driving the motor 100 in the opposite direction. The switches 106 and 107 are self operating in the sense that non-horizontal positioning of the frame 2 will cause the mercury of one or the other of the switches to effect operation of the motor 100 to raise the low side of the frame and lower the high side of the frame until the latter is truly horizontal.

The operation of the disclosed apparatus is believed to be apparent from the foregoing description. The disclosed embodiments are representative of presently preferred forms of the invention, but are intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A bowling alley surfacing machine comprising a frame having a forward end and a rearward end; adjustable means on said frame adjacent the rearward end thereof for supporting the latter at a selected distance above an alley and for movement longitudinally along said alley; drivable mounting means on said frame forwardly of said adjustable means adjustable with the latter and adapted to support surfacing means below said frame for movement relative to said alley longitudinally thereof, said mounting means being at least as wide as the width of said alley; means for driving said mounting means; and stabilizing means connected to said frame rearwardly of said adjustable supporting means and cooperable with the latter to maintain said frame at said selected distance above said alley.

2. A machine for surfacing a bowling alle said machine comprising a frame having a forward end and a rearward end; a plurality of adjustable supporting devices on said frame adjacent its rearward end adapted to engage the surface of said alley and rockably support said frame between its ends for movement longitudinally of said alley; means for adjusting each of said supporting devices independently of the others; drivable mounting mean-s on said frame forwardly of said adjustable means adapted to support surfacing means for rocking movement with said frame and for movement relative to said alley longitudinally thereof, means for driving said mounting means and stabilizing means connected to said frame nearwardly of said adjustable supporting means and cooperable with the latter to maintain the latter in a position to which it has been rocked.

3. A bowling alley surfacing machine comprising a frame having a forward end and a rearward end; drivable mounting means on said frame on which alley surfacing means may be mounted for engagement with the alley surface; means for driving said mounting means to effect movement of said surfacing means longitudinally of said other surface; supporting means mounted on said frame between its ends and rearwardly of said mounting means for supporting said frame for movement along the alley surface, said supporting means fulcruming said frame for rocking movements of said mounting means toward and away from the alley surface; adjustable stabilizing means connected to said frame for adjusting the latter about its fulcrum and maintaining said frame in its adjusted position.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 3 wherein the location of said supporting means relative to said frame is 7 such that the rocking movements of said frame is substantially at the zone of balance of said frame.

5. A bowling alley surfacing machine comprising a frame having forward and rearward ends; adjustable supporting means carried by said frame at opposite sides of the latter for supporting the frame for rocking movements between its ends and for movement along and above the surface of a bowling alley; drivable mounting means on said frame forwardly of said supporting means for mounting alley surfacing means for movement relative to said alley longitudinally thereof, said mounting means depending below said frame so that said surfacing means may engage the alley surface; adjusting means connected to said supporting means for adjusting the latter laterally horizontally to maintain said surfacing means horizontal from side to side; electrical operating means connected to said adjusting means and operable in response to a nonhorizonta1'position of said frame for operating the adjusting means automatically to maintain said frame horizontal; and stabilizing means connected to said frame at the rear end thereof for maintaining said frame in its rocked position.

6. A bowling alley surfacing machine comprising a frame having forward and rearward ends; means supporting said frame adjacent its rearward end for movement longitudinally of said alley; drivable mounting means for mounting an alley surfacing device; means supporting said mounting means on said frame forwardly of the first mentioned supporting means for movement of said device over said alley surface relatively to said frame in a direction longitudinally of said alley; vertically adjustable stabilizing means connected to the rearward end of said frame and operable to rock the latter about an axis between its ends; and adjusting means operatively connected to one of said supporting means for adjusting the position of said mounting means relatively to said alley surface.

7. A bowling alley surfacing machine comprising a frame; means supporting said frame for movement over the surface of the alley; an endless abrasive belt; drivable means on said frame, including a horizontal pressure drum, for mounting said belt, said drum being adapted to have essentially line contact with the lower reach of said belt and transmit downwardly thereto a given force from the partial weight of the machine; and a platen interposed between said drum and belt and having a substantially wider area of contact with the belt, said platen transmitting said partial machine weight downwardly to said belt over a larger area thereof but being removable to effect transmission of the same force by the drum to the belt over a smaller pressure area, whereby the abrasive cutting pressure area can be changed for different finishing operations.

8. A bowling alley surfacing machine comprising a frame; means supporting said frame for movement longitudinally over the surface of the alley; a wide, endless abrasive belt; drivable means on said frame, including a long drum having a length approximating the width of said belt, mounting said belt for travel longitudinally with respect to the alley, said drum being adapted to have essentially line contact with the lower reach of the belt and transmit downwardly thereto a given force from the partial weight of the machine; and a platen interposed between said drum and belt and extending across substantially the full width of the belt, said platen having a substantially wider area of contact with the belt but being removable to effect transmission of the same force by the drum to the belt over a relatively smaller pressure area, whereby the abrasive cutting pressure area can be changed for different finishing operations; and said frame supporting means being adjustable to vary said partial weight transmitted to the belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 759,995 Hodd May 17, 1904 932,466 Harbers Aug. 31, 1909 1,319,041 Bultman Oct. 31, 1919 1,738,873 DeWalt Dec. 10, 1929 1,752,133 Wolganood Mar. 25, 1930 2,375,102 Harris May 1, 1945 2,598,053 Harris May 27, 1952 2,655,770 P-arovel Oct. 20, 1953 2,688,217 Winkler et a1. Sept. 7, 1954 2,736,544 Wright Feb. 28, 1956 2,740,238 Sharpless Apr. 3, 1956 

1. A BOWLING ALLEY SURFACING MACHINE COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING A FORWARD END AND A REARWARD END; ADJUSTABLE MEANS ON SAID FRAME ADJACENT THE REARWARD END THEREOF FOR SUPPORTING THE LATTER AT A SELECTED DISTANCE ABOVE AN ALLEY AND FOR MOVEMENT LONGITUDINALLY ALONG SAID ALLEY; DRIVABLE MOUNTING MEANS ON SAID FRAME FORWARDLY OF SAID ADJUSTABLE MEANS ADJUSTABLE WITH THE LATTER AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT SURFACING MEANS BELOW SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID ALLEY LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, SAID MOUNTING MEANS BEING AT LEAST AS WIDE AS THE WIDTH OF SAID ALLEY; MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID MOUNTING MEANS; AND STABILIZING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FRAME REARWARDLY OF SAID ADJUSTABLE SUPPORTING MEANS AND COOPERABLE WITH THE LATTER TO MAINTAIN SAID FRAME AT SAID SELECTED DISTANCE ABOVE SAID ALLEY. 